A fight broke out at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem after rival groups of Orthodox and Armenian clerics clashed over the boundaries of their jurisdictions inside the church.

This is a great video to show religious geography and how scale plays a key role in a patterns. Not only does the macro-religious geography of the Levant lead to politically contentious situations, but the micro-religious geography can also be problematic. This building itself has a curiously devided spatial pattern among Christian branches that demands tolerance, cooperation and searching for ways to share a place that many groups find holy...this could be seen as symbolic way to look at the whole area.

This goes to show the world how tense of a subject religion is. Look at the fuss over the removal of the "School Prayer" in Cranston.

mderder's comment,January 30, 2012 2:21 PM

It is ironic that Orthodox Christians, both Eastern and Oriental, have yet to figure out that the founder of their religion would strictly disapprove of this kind of behavior. Instead of trying to grab space from one another in holy shrines, they should instead be cooperating with one another.

Many of our first experiments of creating landforms and designing a new world started in the sandbox (you can only image what I do at the beach). This video shows how that early childhood activity can make for an excellent classroom demonstration to shows how Earth's physical systems work. If you don't happen to have a digital topographic map to superimpose on the sandbox and a GPU-based water simulation, then at least you've got this video. Click here to learn more about this UC Davis project on the visualization of lake ecosystems.

"Food. It’s something we all think about, talk about, and need. Food has been one major topic of interest at National Geographic because it connects all of us to our environment. The recent global population projections for the year 2100 just went up from 9 billion to 11 billion, making the issues of food production and distribution all the more important. For the last 3 years I’ve stored podcasts, articles, videos, and other resources on my personal site on a wide range of geographic issues, including food resources. I thought that sharing 10 of my personal favorite resources on the geography of food would be helpful to understand our changing global food systems."

Seth Dixon's insight:

I've posted here several resources about the food systems and the geography of food production and distribution. In this article for National Geographic Education I share ten of my favorites.

The redistricting process is far from neutral; to be fair we should remember that gerrymandering is has happened on all ends of the political spectrum. Which map do you think is the best way to divide these districts? What is the fairest way to divide them?

The redistricting process is far from neutral; to be fair we should remember that gerrymandering is has happened on all ends of the political spectrum. Which map do you think is the best way to divide these districts? What is the fairest way to divide them?

For decades the leading nature writer has been collecting unusual words for landscapes and natural phenomena – from aquabob to zawn. It’s a lexicon we need to cherish in an age when a junior dictionary finds room for ‘broadband’ but has no place for ‘bluebell’

The President announced yesterday that, starting in September, all 4th grade students and their families will have free access to national parks and other public lands and waters for a year.

Seth Dixon's insight:

Field Trips in a National Park can be an incredible experience in a outstanding learning environment, but even with this incredible opportunity, it is hard to get classes and students physically the parks. The National Park Service has produced many lesson plans, videos, distant learning programs, and resources for teachers to give them opportunities to experience the National Parks online. These resources are available for a wide range of subjects and grade levels. Where is the nearest U.S. National Park to your community?

India is a land filled will problems and potential, due its geographic context. This regions is great for a regional geography course, that also includes a good overview of the entire South Asian region before discussing India's political situation in global affairs.

Good thought....but not before other countries.India is like Russia during the second World War. The population is enormous, but the resources haven't been used fully. India is growing in education and in the workforce, but it needs to keep its own citizens rather than have them deport to other nations.Until then they will not control this kind of problems,it is not possible.

There may be a counterintuitive explanation for the deep freeze that hit New England this winter: The rapidly warming Arctic is causing big disruptions in the jet stream, which carries weather across North America. Is this the worst winter you've experienced?

The cancellation of the mandatory long-form census has damaged research in key areas, from how immigrants are doing in the labour market to how the middle class is faring, while making it more difficult for cities to ensure taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely, planners and researchers say.

Seth Dixon's insight:

Canada got rid of the mandatory census, and is discovering it can no longer know much about itself.

"During the past two years, Kien Lam went on the kind of trip most could only dream about. The photographer wanted to "see as much of the world as possible," so he visited 15 countries around the globe, from Mexico to New Zealand, snapping more than 10,000 photographs along the way. He edited his work together to make this stupendous time-lapse, which may be one of the most envy-inducing travel diaries I've ever seen."

We are living in an era of receding glaciers, accelerating loss of species habitat, unprecedented population migration, growing inequalities within and between nations, rising concerns over resource depletion, and shifting patterns of interaction and identity. This website provides 11 geographic investigations aligned to the geographic questions in the NRC Understanding Our Changing Planet report. The report focuses on the future directions in the geographical sciences and how these key questions will guide research to help us understand the planet on which we live.

Seth Dixon's insight:

The four aspects the geographic advantage (as conceptualized by former AAG president Susan Hanson and solidified by the AAG team--see powerpoint) are:

1. Relationships between people and the environment

2. Importance of spatial variability

3. Processes operating an multiple and interlocking geographic scales

4. The integration of spatial and temporal analysis

To ensure that this advantage is harnessed, the AAG prepared 11 modules within these 4 categories of key issue facing the world:

From a long-running radio show to bilingual street signs, efforts are being made to preserve a vernacular once repressed by law.

This radio show is part of a conscious effort to sustain an iteration of French that followed its own evolutionary path here, far from the famed vigilance of the Académie française. Many now believe Louisiana French to be endangered, even as other aspects of the state's rural culture flourish amid the homogenizing forces of modern life. "We're not losing the music. We're not losing the food," Mr. Layne said from his office, Ville Platte, a city of 7,500 about two and a half hours west of New Orleans. "But we're losing what I think is the most important thing, which is language."

Location, climate, culture, and economic problems affect how people do things in certain environments around the world. The article mentions that schools “should be eating what grows around you,” but we cannot always rely on local agriculture since some products could actually cause more health problems for the public. Educational institutions, especially for children, should be the most concerned with this issue. Schools systems should be trained and ensure that their lunchroom meals adhere to nutritional standards and offer healthy choices for their students. Another problem is that some region’s agriculture may be affected by the climate and low farm budgets which forces schools to have to settle for non-natural and unhealthy food options in order to reduce costs

Use our interactive In Charted Waters tool which shows information & visuals on how our knowledge of the world map has evolved.

Seth Dixon's insight:

This interactive map/timeline takes users around the world through the major events representing the expansion of human knowledge. Admittedly, this is represents knowledge from a Eurocentric perspective, but that is somewhat appropriate in this instance since that was the largest store of spatial knowledge as this global information coalesced. Users can visualize the coordination of absolute space and realize the actions undertaken that shifted geography from its predecessor, cosmology. Each achievement cam through intensive exploration and the detailed mapping of those endeavors.

Robert Peston crunches the numbers as finance ministers meet for vital loan talks.

Seth Dixon's insight:

This audio clip shows how the Greek economic crisis is an issue on the national, regional, and global scales. This BBC video and articlealso provide some nice context, asking the question, what would happen in Greece quits the Euro?

If Greece decides to no longer be a part of the United Nations (UN), this will ultimately have a significant impact on Europe’s Union economy. The impact will affect not only Greece as country but also to all members of the UN. In addition to this enormous problem, it will be hard to keep together all countries if Greece goes because as we know certain countries as a Spain, Portugal, Italy and even France are also facing economic issues. Success depends largely on UN giving consent for the members of the organization. The downfall in this disagreement will weaken the economies of the European Union as a whole. On the other hand, cheap currency will create new opportunities and be beneficial for tourists.

As stated in this NPR article: "The video shows satellite tracking of routes superimposed over Google Earth. It focuses on some of the main choke points for international shipping, such as the Strait of Malacca on the southern tip of Malaysia, Suez Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar and Panama Canal. It's a good reminder that about 90 percent of all the goods traded globally spend at least some of their transit time on a ship."

U.N. satellite imagery has tracked the evolution of the camp since its creation. The exponential growth is remarkable. The refugee camp is rapidly taking the shape of a real city — structured, planned and even separated into neighborhoods and subject to gentrification.

The scientific discoveries that were made with no thought of making money often turn out to be the most profound science, and, ironically, often lead to a gold mine.

The dumbest question you can ask a scientist—or any other creator, inventor, or discoverer—about his or her work is, “What’s the economic value?” The mistake at the heart of the dumbest question is this: confusing unknowable value with no value. History shows that basic science brings the greatest economic value of all—Hertz and Dobson are two of many examples.

Canada is a massive country, yet it has one of the lowest population densities in the world. Despite this, Canadians have made a wide impact on their land, much of it visible from aerial and satellite photography. Hydroelectric facilities, roads, mines, farms, ports, resource exploration, logging, canals, cities, and towns have altered much of the landscape over the years.

Seth Dixon's insight:

This is a great set of images showing the human impact on the environment, with a special nod to our neighbors for the north. These images have an artistic beauty and I hope every geographer maintains a sense of wonder at the details and beauty of the Earth.

Mark Twain declared that the Indian city of Varanasi was older than history, tradition and legend. He was, of course, wrong. So which exactly is the world’s most ancient continuously inhabited city?

Seth Dixon's insight:

This is a nice article that, on the surface, discusses which is the oldest city among competing claims. However, it also serves as an entry point to explore the history of urbanization in the ancient world and the requirements for the earliest permanent settlements.

Austin's Mueller neighborhood is a new-urbanist dream, designed to be convivial, walkable and energy-efficient. Every house has a porch or stoop, and all the cars are hidden away.

After moving here, respondents said, they spend an average of 90 fewer minutes a week in the car, and most reported higher levels of physical activity. The poll results seem to validate new-urbanist gospel: good design, like sidewalks, street lighting, extensive trails and parkland, can improve social and physical health. Part II: A Texas Community Takes on Racial Tensions Once Hidden Under The Surface.

New figures show the lowest total number of births since the formation of the modern Italian state

Fewer babies were born in Italy in 2014 than in any other year since the modern Italian state was formed in 1861, new data show, highlighting the demographic challenge faced by the country’s chronically sluggish economy. National statistics office ISTAT said on Thursday the number of live births last year was 509,000, or 5,000 fewer than in 2013, rounding off half a century of decline. The number of babies born to both natives and foreigners living in Italy dropped as immigration, which used to support the overall birth rate, tumbled to its lowest level for five years.

Italy has hit historic a historic low birth rate, the lowest since the countries formation in 1861. This is hugely impacted from the south of the country while the North’s birth rate remains 1.5% above average. 2014 birth rate was 5,000 fewer than in 2013 completing half a century or decline. Plummeting birth rates are due to a crippling economy. On top of lower birth rates people are living longer also. This creates problem with increased payouts in healthcare, and pensions. Italy is a dying country. For my Italian ancestry this is sad news. I will take pride in passing on my Italian heritage. As for a solution, this should look at Belgium or countries that are encouraging increased birth rate. More kids could work on farms to produce ever need crops for sustaining the society.

Reproduction is very important for any country to preserve its culture, economic status, and traditions. In fact, population must to increase with a certain percentage of newborns so countries will be able to survive and function as a republic. New generations will bring more opportunities, innovation and new ideas in different environments. However, during the economic crisis caused by WWII, many migrated out of the country and hurt the citizen population. Italy’s decreasing population as affected other aspects of the country such as declines in religion beliefs, unemployment, and an increase in females in the workforce. There is no simple way to stop youth from seeking opportunities abroad or encouraging couples to have more children in order to increase population rates. Immigration from other countries could resolve some of the Italy’s issues, however Italy’s weak economic state prevents migration into the country from happening. Finally, if the nativity keeps decrease, Italy will ultimately not be able to function as an independent nation any longer.

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